doing

The word “doing” means an action or deed, especially one someone is held responsible for. In plain terms, something that has been done, especially when someone is to blame or credit for it.

“Doing” is pronounced DOO-ihng (/ˈduːɪŋ/ in IPA).

Here is “doing” used in a sentence: “The mess in the kitchen was clearly his doing.”

“Doing” is a noun.

“Doing” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.

If something is 'your doing', it means you are the one who caused or brought it about, and are therefore responsible for it. It often carries a note of blame — 'this mess is your doing' — but can also credit someone, as in 'the recovery was largely her doing'.

Both refer to something a person does, but the emphasis differs. A 'deed' highlights the act itself, often a notable or deliberate one, as in 'a good deed'. A 'doing' stresses who is responsible for a result, which is why it so often appears as 'his doing' or 'their doing'.

You might say 'the broken vase was entirely the cat's doing' or 'the team's success was all his doing'. In both, 'doing' names the action while pointing firmly at who caused it. The plural 'doings' can also mean someone's activities, as in 'the doings of the royal family'.